NEW CREATIONS IN PLANT LIFE 



new fruit, adding much to the dietary of the 

 nations, but in this, and a number of similar 

 instances, he has opened the way to an indefi- 

 nite extension of the same principle — the crea- 

 tion of fruits which shall supplant or supple- 

 ment old ones. Indeed there are now opened 

 in many lines of plant life, by this demonstra- 

 tion of the feasibility of creating new species, 

 possibilities whose scope is limitless. 



The plumcot by some might still be pro- 

 nounced only a variation or combination of 

 similar species, — ^though, as will be seen later, 

 even this objection will not lie against the 

 primus berry and the phenomenal berry. And 

 yet, when two such absolutely different, even 

 if allied, fruits as the plum and the apricot 

 are bred together, producing a third and abso- 

 lutely new fruit, it is quite difficult to see 

 wherein this is not a new and distinct species. 



This new fruit is not only delightful to the 

 taste but it is very interesting in its character. 

 Sometimes the flesh will be yellow, sometimes 

 pink, sometimes white or crimson. Sometimes 

 it has pits hke the apricot, sometimes hke the 

 plum. The fruit is highly colored, maintain- 

 ing the prevailing hues of the apricot. The 



208 



